


Odd jobs and peculiar errands

by grassangel



Category: xxxHoLic
Genre: Community: 31_days, Drabble Collection, Gen, Gen Work, Humor, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-05-22
Updated: 2010-01-02
Packaged: 2020-07-25 19:21:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20031031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grassangel/pseuds/grassangel
Summary: Watanuki's job is amusing to anyone but him. Little snapshots of his work as Yuuko's indentured servant. Fifth job: in which Watanuki meets old friends





	1. Not something old sounding (PG | gen/humour | Yuuko, Watanuki, Mokona)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written as part of the 31_days exchange in 2006 for the prompt _20\. take your mama out all night (it's your job)_

"Yuuko-san, wait up!" Watanuki broke into a jog to catch up with her purposeful stride, frantically trying to catch up with the proprietress of the shop.  
Mokona bounced at him from its position under her arm.  
"Wata-kun's sloow!" It teased from atop his head before bouncing ahead and prancing in front of the small group, taking the lead, singing, "We're eating oout to-night!"

The teenager in question caught up with the two, panting and gasping as he drew up beside Yuuko.  
"And why is my presence required?" he asked Yuuko, awkwardly walking alongside her.

She turned slightly to chuck him under the chin before replying, happily exclaiming, "I thought you could use a night off cooking for us, so I decided we could eat out and you could come along. We need someone to pay for us of course!"

Watanuki's face fell as he grumbled, "That's not giving me the night off... I'll have to work even harder tomorrow. I'm not sure if I even have enough money for a good restaurant..." He flopped in half at Yuuko's poor decision before snapping back up again as he realised something and raced to catch up again.

"Wait, don't I get something in exchange for paying?"

A slender finger was held up in thought for a moment before a wicked grin stretched across the Dimensional Witch's face.  
"No. This is part of your job. It's your responsiblity to make sure Mokona and I are fed well. Your job description is open to interpretation," she looked happily at him, her twisted logic obviously making her pleased.

"So a part of my job is to take you out to dinner and pay for it... That's practically taking you out on a date! What will Himawari-chan think of me taking such an elder woman out?" Watanuki was tempted to curl up into a ball on the side of the road until Yuuko yanked on his head.

"Come along, Mokona's found a place that looks really exciting," she smiled at Watanuki's glare before hauling him up so she could whisper in his ear.  
"If you want, you could pretend that you're taking your long lost aunt or something out for dinner."

He nodded, slightly dumbly, in agreement.

"Good, just as long as it's not your mother or something old sounding like that, we can go eat teppanyaki!"

Once again, she strode ahead, Mokona bouncing along slightly in front of her and Watanuki was left to catch up.


	2. Little one (PG | gen/humour | Yuuko, Watanuki, hinted Clow/Yuuko)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written for the prompt _04\. digging the weeds, who could ask for more?_ as part of the 31_days exchange in 2006

Watanuki was dusting the store room again. It was amazing really how often he had to clean it and at how many objects he could swear he hadn't seen in there before.

It was another one of those times in fact, he thought as he spotted a shelf full of objects he was sure hadn't been there on Thursday, the last time he had cleaned in here.  
The shelf held the expected assortment of boxes, which he simply dusted and didn't look inside; assorted objects, which he had to dust carefully and a-

He blinked at the beautiful bonsai tree in front of him.  
It was a blooming cherry tree, almost exactly like the ones in the park, although a bit more gnarled and bent and dust had collected a bit in the wrinkled bark, making it look a little grey about the edges.  
The tree was in bloom though, miniature blossoms gracing its branches, fallen petals gracing its roots. It was stunning and he wondered how it had survived in the store room, unwatered, for such a long time.

He decided to carry it out to Yuuko, who would probably give him a non-answer as to why it was in the store room and ask him to put it back again.

"Yuuko-san, I found this in the-" he was practically assaulted as Yuuko cooed over the small tree.

"Oh, where have you been little one! I had been wondering where you were and I had looked all of the place for you. I was certain I had placed you in one of the back rooms but you were in the store room all along. How have you been doing? Do you need to be fed?"

She stopped her banter when Watanuki stuttered at her, "Ah, Yuuko-san? I was wondering what it was doing in the store room..."

Her eyes blinked owlishly at him for a moment before her face was taken over by a large smile.  
"It was hiding from me. Just like its previous owner! Really the little thing ought to be ashamed by hiding itself away from me. Are you ashamed, little one?" She tickled it along its trunk, finger rubbing along it.

"But is it all right?" When Yuuko stared at him in a manner that said 'of course it is silly', he rephrased it.  
"What I meant was, ah, how could it not be watered for such a long time?"

"It's just as strong as its mother is, aren't you?" Her answer was directed more at the tree than at Watanuki and didn't really answer his question.

"Yuuko-san, you didn't answer the question..." He cast his eyes about for a place to put the plant down temporarily, deciding that a side table would do for now until Yuuko answered his question.

"It was a cutting taken from a much larger cherry tree with vast magical powers. The owner of the garden was kind enough to raise it for me and give it as a gift." She winked at Watanuki, smiling happily before her reply took on a more playful tone. "He was a down right narcissist but he always gave me the most wonderful gifts. This is possibly my favourite out of all of them." Her finger stroked the rim of the plant's tray, moving in small circles as it went.  
"Even though I had to search night and day for an equivalent gift, it's my favourite; even if it does remind me of him."

Yuuko seemed to trail off there, her hands constantly fussing over the plant while Watanuki just looked on.

"Ah, I'll go continue cleaning the store room then." Smiling uneasily, he slipped out of the room, leaving Yuuko fixated on the small, beautiful bonsai full of memories.


	3. Last bluebells (PG | gen/angst | death fic | Watanuki, Mokona)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written for the prompt 31_days prompt _June 30, 2008 - a little fall of rain can hardly hurt me now_

A figure is kneeling in the empty lot by the stump of a long fallen cherry tree. Hardly anyone gives much attention to the person or whatever they are doing in the lot chalked for razing and construction, instead rushing on, hastened by whelk-grey skies.

No one could tell you what stood there previously.

Long fingers skitter, earth crumbling between their brown-stained tips as they smooth the disturbed ground into perfection, half impatient before their task is fulfilled.

Satisfied, they set a shallow sake cup down upon the nearly flat rectangular mound, the woody scent of the liquor released as light rain starts falling upon it. Crisp linen wrinkles, a folded handkerchief joining the cup; folds softening as the fabric grows damp.

The memorial is admired for a moment before the figure slowly unfolds, stepping back from the small pile of disturbed earth and smiling wistfully as the light rain continues to fall.

They walk slowly out of the empty lot, a messenger bag slung across their chest, rain a shimmer around them as they walk into the dull grey of Tokyo city.

"Watanuki– what shall we do now?" A voice dolefully pipes up from the bag, eyes upturned sadly.

"I suppose–" he half turns to look behind them, "that we carry on. How would you like kitsune soba tonight? Doumeki has a good tea to go with it." Watanuki answers, continuing to walk on, rain glistening around him, a hand trying to dispel raindrops that aren't there.


	4. Eventually wakes the dreamer (PG | weird/supernatural | Watanuki, brief appearances by Yuuko, Doumeki & Himawari. implied Doumeki/Watanuki/Himawari)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written for the 31_days prompt: _March 6, 2009 - one night I dreamt I was a butterfly_  
Also uploaded as a standalone work, with more comprehensive tags and notes, when Rei started to share similar themes.

_They are under the cherry tree again, the scent of the blossoms floating down; tea and snacks arranged prettily on their tray. Yuuko sitting in front of him, wearing those same clothes and smile as before. She is telling him something, something important and he is refusing the information she is giving him, shaking his head in the negative. Her hand forces Watanuki to look up at her, to recognise that look in her eyes. Their gazes meet, Watanuki suddenly understanding and makes to grab her–_

_but a sudden storm of petals surrounds them and Yuuko is obscured from view, words still upon her lips as he tries to catch a hold of her hand._

_He shouts, and–_

Watanuki startles awake from his dream again, arm stretched out and reaching for something that is not there. He half-expects a butterfly to be perched upon his fingers, fluttering gently as he grasps for another set of fingers.  
Nothing is there though, as he lowers his arm and inspects his fingers, still believing there should be something.

He is still considering his fingers, wondering whether the thought of a butterfly resting upon was a dream or not, when he notices the room around him. The hangings of his bed surprise Watanuki momentarily, as if he were not anticipating them to be there. The movement to push them aside comes automatically though and there is a similar feeling as he steps from the bed; that he is expecting something else aside from the usual.

There is nothing around to provoke such an emotion and Watanuki double checks for spirits or magic before shaking his head, continuing with his routine, cataloguing the dream away.

Several more moments of awkwardness occur that morning: he overestimates his pace a couple of times, stubbed toes forcing him to adjust accordingly and a thought flashes across his mind as he is dressing that his clothes are too large, but they fit perfectly as he arranges the material over his shoulders.  
Watanuki also finds himself pausing in front of one of the bedrooms, mouth half-open as if ready to rouse someone. But he then closes his mouth and shakes his head, reminded that they hadn't stayed the night before, that they wouldn't sleep in this room if they had.

He slips up again during breakfast, setting three places instead of one and he clangs the teapot down onto its rest angrily in a vain effort to remind himself he doesn't have company.

The awkward feeling dies away after he finishes and tidies away the dishes, moving to do his usual chores but Watanuki still can't shake that he should be somewhere else, doing different things. His day progresses as usual though, even if he does feel surprised he's greeting the visitors rather than making tea for them.

There's a brief period of relief as Himawari and Doumeki visit on their way to something else and though they are busy, they find enough time for him to pour three cups of tea and to offer him a hand on the shoulder and a smile of reassurance. The two end up apologising that they can't stay and Himawari offers him another smile before leaving.

"I'm sure, whatever it is, you'll figure it out Watanuki," she says, before turning back down that path.

Her and Doumeki's visit is the only point during the day he doesn't feel that reality has disturbed itself and it is only later, as he is about to turn over and fall asleep, that Watanuki remembers what Yuuko said to him in his dream.  
The rest of the night is spent in a restless sleep and he dreams in fragments: of dreams within dreams, of a boy dreaming to be a magician and its inverse – a magician dreaming he is a boy.

When Watanuki wakes the following morning, there is a certain dubiousness to the world, a hazy dream-like quality that makes him smile.  
Even if he cannot be certain if he is the dreamer or the dream, the Magician of the Dimensions still has his place in the world.

_The dreamer must wake for the dream to end. But when the dreamer wakes, how is he to know if he is the dreamer or the dream?_


	5. in which Watanuki meets old friends (G | gen/slice of life | Watanuki, the Oden foxes, sundry other spirits)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written for the round-robin community watanuki-dreams on LJ. It worked on the premise that volume 12 was a sequence of Watanuki's dreams that followed on from each other. As such, it has no clear begin or end as it followed on from one piece and another piece began where it left off.  
Sadly, the community is no longer active since the completion of said volume, but all the stories submitted up to that point are still up. This was the third part in the sequence and followed on from a particularly gory segment.

Watanuki wasn't particularly paying attention. Otherwise he would have realised that while he was shouting at Doumeki for requesting strawberry mousse in autumn he had somehow wandered into the spirit realm and was now shouting at a rather confused horse spirit who was carrying a load of cabbages. Apologising and stuttering, he excused himself before taking account his surroundings.  
It appeared to be some kind of open air market, with spirits browsing food stalls and supernatural creatures wandering about. Vendors were advertising their prices, calling across the market as groups or individuals meandered.  
Several tree spirits were moving in a cluster, their giggles sounding like rustling leaves as they bustled around, another trailing after them like a dog. A short creature was operating a candy floss machine, giving the fluffy treat out to the young spirits accompanying their parents.

It was from behind a ball of the pink confectionery that Watanuki spotted the young fox from the oden stand. It squeaked as it recognised him before rushing over, chattering excitedly, his father trailing behind, packages in hand.  
He inquired curiously as to why Watanuki was wandering the dawn market before making an observation.

"It's unusual to see a human wandering the market, let alone one who stumbled upon it by accident."

"I do seem to have a habit of stumbling into places don't I?" Watanuki fumbled back in response, rather nervous at having his powers taken note of. "Though I would like to stumble back so I can get to school on time," he smiled nervously before continuing, "especially since that good for nothing Doumeki will be wondering where his lunch will be."  
He held up the boxed lunch in his hand. The young fox stepped up to it, sniffing delicately at it before declaring: "it smells good."  
Watanuki smiled, before realising something.

"You haven't tried any of my cooking, have you? Here, have a small piece," he handed them a small piece of okonomiyaki each after fumbling with the box for a moment, "There's sauce to dip it in as well. It's good, but I doubt it's as good as your oden."

The elder of the two foxes smiled while chewing before dipping his piece into the offered sauce.

"Good enough for the witch of the dimensions to speak highly of your cooking. I'm honoured to have been offered a piece. If you wish, we could show you a place where it is very easy to cross into the human world."

"Would you really? Thank you~!"

The elder fox smiled again, neatly licking off a trace of sauce from its paw.  
"You have done plenty for us in the past, so it's no issue. Just as long as you don't mind if we stop at one vendor before we take you to the place where you can cross."

Watanuki nodded enthusiastically, retying the carrying cloth around the boxed okonomiyaki.  
"You're getting ingredients for your oden I suppose?" He received a nod and a gesture to follow the two foxes in response. They soon shortly stopped at a fresh produce stall, where the father pointed out which vegetables were in season. Watanuki soon spotted that the vendor had autumn strawberries and was examining them.

"Hm? These smell really fresh and sweet! Huh?" He felt a hand tap his shoulder, before he turned around.  
"I'm sorry, am I in the way?"


End file.
